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X-Men: Phoenix: Endsong #1-5
X-men Phoenix: Endsong/Warsong
The Phoenix has risen back to life. Seeking to reunite with Jean Grey, the Phoenix has returned to Earth, only to find her former host dead and buried. Without Jean Grey to control the Phoenix's limitless power, will the X-Men succeed in stopping this cosmic force of death and destruction once more?
Then, the Phoenix is back! Or is it? Something's not quite right with the Stepford Cuckoos, and the X-Men better figure out what it is...and fast! Also, what does Weapon Plus have to do with all this?
COLLECTING: X-MEN: PHOENIX -ENDSONG 1-5, X-MEN: PHOENIX - WARSONG 1-5
Then, the Phoenix is back! Or is it? Something's not quite right with the Stepford Cuckoos, and the X-Men better figure out what it is...and fast! Also, what does Weapon Plus have to do with all this?
COLLECTING: X-MEN: PHOENIX -ENDSONG 1-5, X-MEN: PHOENIX - WARSONG 1-5
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2012
About the author
Greg Pak
1,571 books549 followersGreg Pak is an award-winning Korean American comic book writer and filmmaker currently writing "Darth Vader" and "Planet Hulk: Worldbreaker" for Marvel Comics. Pak wrote the "Princess Who Saved Herself" children's book and the “Code Monkey Save World” graphic novel based on the songs of Jonathan Coulton and co-wrote (with Fred Van Lente) the acclaimed “Make Comics Like the Pros” how-to book. Pak's other work includes "Planet Hulk," "World War Hulk," "Mech Cadet Yu," "Ronin Island," "Action Comics," and "Magneto Testament."
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 15, 2015
Excellent artwork. The Phoenix is back. Jean Grey is back. There were some good surprises in this one but if you're tired of the Phoenix tales skip this one.
OVERALL GRADE: B plus.
OVERALL GRADE: B plus.
September 23, 2012
I've read enough comics about the Phoenix that I can stomach another melodrama about Jean and Scott and The Universe-Engulfing Firebird, especially with Greg Pak's able blockbuster storytelling, but good gravy Greg Land needs to find a new method for illustrating women. The illustrations themselves are beautiful and realistic, but Land keeps drawing women with pinup or orgasmic facial expressions, and I felt dirty just for reading. I mean, mainstream comics already tend to objectify women pretty heavily, but this is another level activating my prudish alarm.
Also, the whole Warsong story continued to beat a dead Phoenix with the whole "who will house this overdramatic omnipotent force to be unleashed whenever Marvel needs a villain to occupy everyone's attention for a few issues?"
Also, the whole Warsong story continued to beat a dead Phoenix with the whole "who will house this overdramatic omnipotent force to be unleashed whenever Marvel needs a villain to occupy everyone's attention for a few issues?"
July 14, 2018
SUMMER OF X-MEN CAPSULE REVIEW #1
I'd sort of skimmed the first half of this book, Endsong, because the art is crazy gorgeous, but never totally focused on it and definitely never read Warsong because the art is heinous. But otherwise I didn't take much stock in either book, and it was mostly just collecting dust on the old X-Shelf.
But I just finished Phoenix Resurrection and saw some echoes of these earlier stories, so I came back for a focused reread. Much more interesting books with a little hindsight. Endsong explores the idea that Jean is complicit is her relationship with the Phoenix Force -- that she actually calls it forth, post-death, because she doesn't want to stay dead. This is something that Resurrection deals with as well.
Warsong is a story about the origins of the Cuckoos, and is easily Greg Pak's most insane, Morrison-esque mindfuck I have ever read, and I think that alone is worth something.
I'd sort of skimmed the first half of this book, Endsong, because the art is crazy gorgeous, but never totally focused on it and definitely never read Warsong because the art is heinous. But otherwise I didn't take much stock in either book, and it was mostly just collecting dust on the old X-Shelf.
But I just finished Phoenix Resurrection and saw some echoes of these earlier stories, so I came back for a focused reread. Much more interesting books with a little hindsight. Endsong explores the idea that Jean is complicit is her relationship with the Phoenix Force -- that she actually calls it forth, post-death, because she doesn't want to stay dead. This is something that Resurrection deals with as well.
Warsong is a story about the origins of the Cuckoos, and is easily Greg Pak's most insane, Morrison-esque mindfuck I have ever read, and I think that alone is worth something.
March 15, 2018
Collecting in their entirety both of Greg Pak's Phoenix mini-series, I really should have read this collection a while ago. And yet here we are, just in time for the NEXT time Jean Grey comes back to life.
Phoenix: Endsong feels a little haphazard if I'm honest. Some Shi'ar reconstitute the Phoenix early so that they can kill it (why not just leave it alone? Bloody hell, talk about playing with fire), but in doing so drive it insane. It then heads to Earth to revive Jean Grey in an effort to regain its sanity, along the way re-energizing Quentin Quire and making things very difficult for the X-Men.
The story's pretty straight forward, but it feels dragged out, like it takes the X-Men three issues to actually start pursuing the Phoenix. The character dynamic between Scott and Emma is what really nails this one for me. Pak really digs into their complicated relationship and how they both relate to Jean, so that's really well done. Kitty Pryde also gets some BAMF action, as does Storm, which is always appreciated.
The artwork is Greg Land, so you know what you're getting. Super-traced, super-sexualized women in super-awkward poses for the most part. Yeah, it is what it is. He draws/traces a hot Cyclops as well though, so equal representation I guess. But yeah, Greg Land. Your mileage may vary.
Phoenix: Warsong is a bit more up my alley. This story feeds mainly off of Grant Morrison's New X-Men run and features the Stepford Cuckoos and John Sublime as the 'villains' of the piece, exploring their origins and their true intentions as part of the X-Men.
This is another great character study for Emma Frost; after everything she's been through with regards to children, this really is the icing on the cake for her. I'm surprised that this story wasn't mentioned during Avengers Vs. X-Men (but then who cares about continuity, right?) since it seems like it would inform Emma's opinion going forward. There's also no Jean Grey in sight which is kind of a blessing after her useless appearance in Endsong.
Tyler Kirkham takes the art for this series, and it's a bit less cheesecake than Greg Land but a little less polished. Some characters look a little stick-figurey, but there's strong consistency between all five issues when other artists would have been more rushed by the end and the quality would fall.
Hardcore Jean Grey/Phoenix fans will probably enjoy this a bit more than I did, but its reputation made it seem like it would be massively important in terms of Jean's story when really it's just more Phoenix-related nonsense. It's fun, but hardly essential for anyone except probably Emma Frost.
Phoenix: Endsong feels a little haphazard if I'm honest. Some Shi'ar reconstitute the Phoenix early so that they can kill it (why not just leave it alone? Bloody hell, talk about playing with fire), but in doing so drive it insane. It then heads to Earth to revive Jean Grey in an effort to regain its sanity, along the way re-energizing Quentin Quire and making things very difficult for the X-Men.
The story's pretty straight forward, but it feels dragged out, like it takes the X-Men three issues to actually start pursuing the Phoenix. The character dynamic between Scott and Emma is what really nails this one for me. Pak really digs into their complicated relationship and how they both relate to Jean, so that's really well done. Kitty Pryde also gets some BAMF action, as does Storm, which is always appreciated.
The artwork is Greg Land, so you know what you're getting. Super-traced, super-sexualized women in super-awkward poses for the most part. Yeah, it is what it is. He draws/traces a hot Cyclops as well though, so equal representation I guess. But yeah, Greg Land. Your mileage may vary.
Phoenix: Warsong is a bit more up my alley. This story feeds mainly off of Grant Morrison's New X-Men run and features the Stepford Cuckoos and John Sublime as the 'villains' of the piece, exploring their origins and their true intentions as part of the X-Men.
This is another great character study for Emma Frost; after everything she's been through with regards to children, this really is the icing on the cake for her. I'm surprised that this story wasn't mentioned during Avengers Vs. X-Men (but then who cares about continuity, right?) since it seems like it would inform Emma's opinion going forward. There's also no Jean Grey in sight which is kind of a blessing after her useless appearance in Endsong.
Tyler Kirkham takes the art for this series, and it's a bit less cheesecake than Greg Land but a little less polished. Some characters look a little stick-figurey, but there's strong consistency between all five issues when other artists would have been more rushed by the end and the quality would fall.
Hardcore Jean Grey/Phoenix fans will probably enjoy this a bit more than I did, but its reputation made it seem like it would be massively important in terms of Jean's story when really it's just more Phoenix-related nonsense. It's fun, but hardly essential for anyone except probably Emma Frost.
March 5, 2017
Great art, okay-ish story.
Lo único que me provocó fue querer leer la saga de la Fénix Oscura.
Lo único que me provocó fue querer leer la saga de la Fénix Oscura.
September 21, 2014
First of all, I cannot understand how ANYONE in editorial let AvX happen after this.
Second of all, this gets only three stars because the art drove me absolutely around the twist. I keep reading the faces as expressionless (too much airbrush?) unless I pay attention. And when I did pay attention, it was hard to ignore how the women always looked like they were enjoying themselves. Especially when screaming. Like, when you wake up from a horrific nightmare, I don't like thinking that your face looks quite that orgasmic? And idk, maybe one or even two of the x-men feel this way— they've been through a lot and sometimes you develop a fun relationship with pain— sometimes you start with a fun relationship with pain, though really I'd think they'd have played up the kink a bit more than just in this run— but it was ALL the women. They all look like they like it.
So that made me feel objectified and like the artist was tracing porn stars. And also, and I think this is actually the more important quibble, the body language never has tension in it. Nobody is ever FIGHTING, they just have posed with a fist on someone else's jaw. I read a lot out of body language, and there was never anything there to read. The figures are just shapes hovering around with no dynamism in it. Uuuuuuuuuuugh.
Second of all, this gets only three stars because the art drove me absolutely around the twist. I keep reading the faces as expressionless (too much airbrush?) unless I pay attention. And when I did pay attention, it was hard to ignore how the women always looked like they were enjoying themselves. Especially when screaming. Like, when you wake up from a horrific nightmare, I don't like thinking that your face looks quite that orgasmic? And idk, maybe one or even two of the x-men feel this way— they've been through a lot and sometimes you develop a fun relationship with pain— sometimes you start with a fun relationship with pain, though really I'd think they'd have played up the kink a bit more than just in this run— but it was ALL the women. They all look like they like it.
So that made me feel objectified and like the artist was tracing porn stars. And also, and I think this is actually the more important quibble, the body language never has tension in it. Nobody is ever FIGHTING, they just have posed with a fist on someone else's jaw. I read a lot out of body language, and there was never anything there to read. The figures are just shapes hovering around with no dynamism in it. Uuuuuuuuuuugh.
November 21, 2017
This clumsy rehash of Morrison's ideas is completely predictable. It features distractingly bad art where everyone has the same wooden expressions and spends most of the time levitating - by the end of Warsong I wished Greg Land could come back! Meanwhile, Greg Pak is trying to stretch a two parter into 12 issues by having the Phoenix go back and forth between various telepaths, everyone get resurrected and then re-killed, and the actual X-Men basically do nothing except make heroic action poses and defend against fire blasts.
The story pitch for Endsong is pretty good: give Jean the heroic sendoff she didn't get in New X-Men. The execution is terrible.
The story pitch for Endsong is pretty good: give Jean the heroic sendoff she didn't get in New X-Men. The execution is terrible.
November 9, 2012
At first, I wasn't too sure about this collection. When I saw Phoenix on the cover and Jean Grey, I kind of rolled my eyes because I honestly can't stand Jean Grey. But I started reading it and almost couldn't put it down.
Now, I'm not well versed in the story and character arcs in X-Men, but I do know some main points and a little bit about the characters' backgrounds. So, I was a bit confused with the pre-existing story, about what happened to Jean and when, what happened to Esme and Sophie, but I was still wrapped up in the story and art.
And I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit biased because I love Scott and Emma together, so everything between them, I just loved. Every moment that she takes to look into Scott's eyes, between turning into diamond form and then later when they are contained, just moves me and honestly, I squeed. And a comic/graphic novel has never made me squee before.
I regret nothing.
Now, I'm not well versed in the story and character arcs in X-Men, but I do know some main points and a little bit about the characters' backgrounds. So, I was a bit confused with the pre-existing story, about what happened to Jean and when, what happened to Esme and Sophie, but I was still wrapped up in the story and art.
And I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit biased because I love Scott and Emma together, so everything between them, I just loved. Every moment that she takes to look into Scott's eyes, between turning into diamond form and then later when they are contained, just moves me and honestly, I squeed. And a comic/graphic novel has never made me squee before.
I regret nothing.
April 20, 2014
There really is nothing new here. I'm not even sure if this warrants a spoiler waring anymore, but here you go.
The art is nice enough, though all the women seem to have permanent orgasm face. Not the worst drawings of women I've ever seen in comics, but once we get to that kind of art depicting 16 year old teenagers, it becomes definitely uncomfortable. And it certainly did not help in keeping the characters straight, when the only way to differentiate between them is their varying state of undress.
The art is nice enough, though all the women seem to have permanent orgasm face. Not the worst drawings of women I've ever seen in comics, but once we get to that kind of art depicting 16 year old teenagers, it becomes definitely uncomfortable. And it certainly did not help in keeping the characters straight, when the only way to differentiate between them is their varying state of undress.
April 23, 2014
This is amazing and awful and painful and wonderful and I just wish Bendis had never come in contact with the x-men at all. Everything in this book has been made small by him, and it shouldn't have been. Everything important in this book has been put aside by him and it's not fair. This book is amazing, and AvX undoes all of it.
I hate everything.
I hate everything.
May 30, 2014
Two stories about the (dark) Phoenix coming back to Earth and for Jean Grey. The first one is mainly about this storyline and the endless rivalry between Jean Grey and Emma Frost about Scott Summers. It was ok to read, but it doesn't add much to the X-men history. The second one was more interesting because it concerned the Stepford Cuckoos and the back-story of their origins.
February 27, 2014
Not a big fan of Jean Grey but am a huge fan of the Phoenix. Not too long ago watched the whole Astonishing X-men series (which was amazing) & this book fits into that storyline somewhat. Personally I enjoyed this story.
December 31, 2013
Pretty art, confusing plot(s) and far too much "I love you, Emma Frost" nonsense.
June 19, 2014
Not a bad book although I did enjoy Endsong than Warsong. Art at the start was a lot better than the end. Lots if characters. Enjoyable yet complicated story. 3 stars.
July 10, 2015
Extremely boring drivel. Written to continue on from Grant Morrison's New X Men, by the look and the language. I now hate this phoenix stuff: it just keeps coming up.
December 15, 2015
Ahhhhh the story of the Cuckoos! That's almost more interesting to me than the Phoenix saga and Jean (sort-of?) coming back to life.
January 30, 2016
end song was great but war song was meh art was fantastic all around.
March 29, 2018
This book was soul destroyingly good.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews